Making Threads
by omfg it's sophie
Summary: Set in the First War, Remus joins the werewolves. Are they more than he bargained for?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N As promised, we have here a Greyback and Remus ficading. I'm not sure about how many chapters there'll be. I'm not sure if I'll FINISH it. **

**Characters: Remus Lupin, Fenrir Greyback, main. **

**  
Warning: All six books, probably. **

**Setting: First War**

**Disclaimer: If I made up any of these characters, places or ideas, then Hitler was a nice little boy who skipped around and handed out shellfish to tourists.**

It was raining that night. Typical English weather. Not proper rain either. Simply a light drizzle with a setting mist and a looming presence of dampness that, for some reason, made wood feel wet. Odd sort of place, England. Needed to make up its mind every once in a while about what sort of weather it liked. It wasn't exactly late, I reflected. I glanced around the streets. It was late enough, though, for the streets to be too dark for anyone to be properly comfortable out on them.

A cat was prowling the alley way I was taking a shortcut down. It was funny that even though I haven't been here in years, the deserted streets of Hogsmeade are still well known to be. I turned a corner and the cat followed, purring slightly. It seemed to be watching me, its yellowy-green eyes standing out against its body. I looked at it again. It was a shaggy tabby cat, probably a stray, and it lingered a good five metres behind me, which wasn't anything different. Cats never liked me, not since I was bitten. They seem to sense what I really am and stay weary of it. I turned another corner, the flickering street light now shedding some brightness on the road and the cat hovered in the alley way before briskly turning around. I shivered slightly, feeling as if the only company I had was now gone.

I had pulled on a rough, thick cloak for the occasion which I'd borrowed from Moody. I turned the collar up so that my face wasn't so easily seen. The last thing I needed was, if I didn't get what I wanted, a hungry werewolf running after me. The streets of Hogsmeade seemed barer than they usually were. I hadn't really been out here this late before, save for the few times with the Marauders, but then it seemed natural that the streets were bear. Now.. it was just odd and unnerving.

Looking around once, I walked on, lowering my head.

It had only come to decision a few weeks ago in the Order of the Phoenix meeting. In all reality, everyone knew what was happening, they were just denying it. Having Voldemort rising in power was bad enough for people but now more things were happening. Stranger things. Children would go missing. Now there was no doubt about it. The werewolves had joined Lord Voldemort. And they were making an impact.

Naturally, they needed a spy. And here I was.

It had been an awkward meeting, embarrassment hidden behind business as we discussed how we could spy. Eventually it was all settled. At the end of the meeting, though, Dumbledore had me pulled aside. He had asked me if I was sure this was all right, while still pressuring on the necessity of the task. I wanted to do my bit for the Order. Danger didn't matter anymore. I agreed, assuring Dumbledore it was alright.

It wasn't alright, though. I agreed to it, I felt sure I was doing something better than I had been doing, hell, I am! But it is dangerous. It's not as if I'm in school anymore. It's not like I have James and Sirius by my side, helping me.

I pulled my cloak tighter around myself, hands brushing the rough jumper underneath. Underneath that was a plain tee-shit and below that a pair of old joggers. I didn't exactly dress up for the occasion.

Dumbledore had helped me with what to do when I meet up with Fenrir. I'd need all the help I can get, mind. When I heard the werewolf's name it struck me like a brick wall. I had thought – or, rather, hoped – that the old werewolf had died long ago. I never bothered to look into it. Maybe I was scared of what the result would be. But, no. He was still around, it seemed. And now I was meeting up with him. I was meeting up with the man who made my life hell and I had to act like that was okay.

I'd sent a letter, telling Greyback when to meet and now, like Dumbledore had said, I had to act completely as if I wanted to join. I felt a surge of pity for Severus.

It was strange when I saw the man looking reasonably, well, reasonably _decent _sitting on the bench by the Three Broomsticks. At first I thought it wasn't him. But I could pick him out. I just could. Maybe it had something to do with the fact he was the one who had bit me. Maybe.

I walked over, feeling surprisingly calm, and stood by the bench.

"Greyback?"

The reaction was immediate. The man stood up. If a continental plate stood up, I thought, it would be something like that. He was at least a head taller than me and, although he looked quite decent, once you got a proper look at him you saw that he was actually quite ragged. When he stood up, the smell of blood and stale alcohol came with him and I had to breathe through my mouth to resist turning my head away.

"What d'you want?" I took a breath, watching him for a moment. This was the man who had ruined my life. This was the man who had ruined other people's lives. This was the man who did it all deliberately. And I had to pretend to admire him.

"I think you know." There was a shift in the gigantic shoulders and Fenrir Greyback smirked slightly. I resisted taking a step back.

"I think you're mistaken," he said, pretending to look innocent. I felt as if I was going to be sick and kept his gaze. He frowned for a moment and I found it odd that this beast could string together coherent sentences.

"If you'd like me to say it out in the open, I'll go ahead and do so," I said. I felt surprisingly calm, breathing steadily and my heart wasn't leaving a bruise in my chest like I thought it may do. "You may prefer that not to be the case, though. I'm Remus Lupin." Something lit up in Greyback's eyes and I caught it before he hid it. His smirk grew. Recognition.

"Ah," he said softly. I said nothing, waiting. "Are you expecting that to turn everything upside down?" Greyback said finally. "Just because I bit you, you expect me to have a higher regard for you?" He was eyeing me, though, eyes travelling along my body as if sizing my up.

"It depends. Do you favour your own work over other's?" I retorted coolly. "Now this is my offer. I join you. I've lived with – them – for too long. I've got nothing to lose. I join you and I can spend full moons by myself and you don't ask me questions about my life outside with you. That's all I've got." Greyback raised an eyebrow and I kept my face straight. He dropped his eyebrow and rubbed his chin.

"Why by yourself?" he asked. I said nothing, but turned to walk away, pocketing my hands and putting my head down. My heart was thumping against my rib cage. _Call me back. Call me back. Do anything. Don't let me walk away._

"Lupin."

The voice was rough and I stopped, smiling momentarily before turning around.

"Greyback?" He paused, eyeing me again.

"I'll take it," he said calmly. "I must be insane. You'll be notified with details later." I didn't ask about how I'd be notified. I was just too relieved. And it was only when I was sure Greyback had left that I sunk onto the bench he had abandoned and put my head in my hands.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Looking good so far? Sirius, James and Lily give Remus a talking to. Ps, the man can see the house because the spell was only cast a week before they died. You'll understand what I mean.**

**Disclaimer: Hitler liking to wear frilly blouses and bras with apples in them while throwing I Wish I Were A Jew parties is equivalent to Sophie writing any of the Harry Potter books or contributing to any of J K Rowling's ideas.**

James was leaning against his kitchen counter and he was looking at me from under heavy eyes. I shifted. James folded his arms across his chest. I shifted again, looking at the tiled ground. I didn't really blame him or Sirius. Sirius was sitting at their kitchen table, slumped on his arms and looking like a kicked puppy.

They knew I was going to do this, I thought angrily. So why did they have to get so bloody angry and in such a bloody strop all the time? I had actually purposely avoided them since after the meeting, staying in my own flat rather than meeting with them because I knew they would only gush about it and tell me how dangerous it was. But everyone had to make a sacrifice. It was war. There weren't any compromises. It was all sacrifices.

"You could have at least _told_ us," Sirius said shortly. "I mean, rather than just hearing it at the meeting. What if you bloody _died_, hey? And the only time we saw you was saying you'd go and offer up your life to some… to some wild, killing beast that'd rip your throat out without thinking." I felt something boil up inside of me. I knew Sirius wasn't talking about me, but my temper was short these days.

"Is that what I've boiled down to, then? A wild, killing beast? D'you have any idea why I didn't come and see any of you? Do you?" Sirius sat still, eyes meeting mine. His eyes were narrowed in confusion and frustration.

"He never said that, mate," James stated quietly, running his hands up and down the opposite arm, as if cold. "He never will, neither. None of us will."

"You still haven't answered my question," I said tartly.

"I had no bloody idea, no," Sirius retorted.

"Did you ever think I may be doing it to protect _you_?" I said shortly. "Nevermind." Lily was standing in the corner of the kitchen, looking distressed. She walked over to us slowly and James watched her.

"Let's all calm down," she said finally. "Let's just calm down. I'll make us some tea. I'm sure Remus did what he had to do." Sirius slammed a hand angrily against the table.

"He didn't have to do anything, God's dammit!" he said roughly, slamming his hand again on the table. "Why'd Dumbledore do this? You could be _killed_, for Merlin's sake, Remus! You could die and we'd never know it, we'd never know…" He looked sharply away and I stared at the back of his head.

"I have to do this," I said quietly. "I have to do my part. You lot don't understand, you can go out; you can get contacts, names from your jobs. I can't. This is all I can do." I took the tea Lily held out and checked my watch. "I'm not dead, anyway. Stop being so grim." Sirius slumped against the table again, putting his chin in his hands.

"Being an adult sucks," he said calmly.

"How did it go?" James asked over Sirius. It was odd. James, the immature, thick headed bastard had grown up in areas where Sirius hadn't, grown up where they had vowed they never would grow up. It was strange how little the things we had said as children mattered now, even though they were such an impact on our lives.

"Quite quick, actually," I said vaguely, sipping at the tea. "He said I could, er, join, almost right after I asked. I was going to walk away. You've no idea how scared I was that he wouldn't call me back. But I guess, if there's one thing Greyback didn't like," I added, running a thumb around the rim of the cup, "it's letting go people – _creatures_ – he bit. He's like a collector." The impact of my words was immediate. Sirius sat up straight and stared at me.

"Don't say that," he said quietly. I shrugged.

"It's true," I said calmly. Sirius glared at me.

"No. You're just like us. You've just got a different load, that's all. Don't be so harsh on yourself. You always are and you know what? It's really annoying me." He stood up, slammed his chair under the table and walked out the door. There was silence. I looked around. James was looking at me, slightly unnerved.

"He's right, mate," was all he said. I set down the tea in the manner of someone getting ready to leave. James grabbed my arm and I looked at him.

"Don't try me, James," I said quietly. "I'm really not in the mood." James paused.

"Just… don't take it out on him, okay? He's having a hard time from his parents." I wanted to shout at him that that was such a pity because I just didn't know what a hard time was. Being shunned from your family, oh yes, that's terrible. Being shunned from the whole Wizarding Community! Ha! I grabbed my cloak from the chair and pulled it on.

"Thank you, Lily," I said finally, hovering by the kitchen door for a moment before leaving. There was a mop of black hair protruding from the back of the couch and I ignored it, walked out the front door and got three metres down the road before I leant against the wall.

What was _wrong_ with me? What on earth was _wrong_ with me?

"Rough time, Lupin?"

I didn't recognise the voice and I whipped 'round, taking out my wand. A grubby-faced person with so many scars on his face it looked like a young child's drawing and a mop of coarse black hair smirked at me. I recognised that scent. It was the sort of scent you had and you got so used to it that it wasn't until someone else with the same scent came along that you realised what it was. It was there last night with Greyback and it's here now. I surveyed them grimly.

"How'd you know where I was?" I said, not daring to look back at the Potter's house. Oh, god.

"We have our ways," the man said simply. He was still smirking. "Come with me." I pocketed my hands in my cloak and moved quietly after him. He walked in silence and I couldn't help but notice he walked with a limp. A natural one or one he had for a long time, I noted, as he walked on it comfortably as if he knew it. Soon we were in a dark alley. No one else was there. I looked him in the eye and he continued to smirk.

"Don't play stupid with me, Lupin, because I'm saying this once and only once." His eyes flitted around. "St Mary's Church, Herald Road, London. The third confessional box on the left side of the altar. Be there at exactly 10:52 on this watch," he handed him a small gold wristwatch, "or the Master says there's no deal. Say, 'Forgive me father, I have sinned.' When the voice speaks, say, 'I have committed a terrible crime I daren't speak. I fear I shan't be forgiven.' When the voice says, 'Tell me, my child of the moon', don't say anything. Count the three in your head slowly, like this." He counted to three calmly. I kept my eyes fixed on him. "Then cough. He will tell you where to go and when. This is your one chance. There won't be another." And he walked away. The facts started to slip away in my head and, after a moment of trying to remember them, I sprinted to the newsagents in the town where James and Lily lived and wrote it all down.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N My disclaimers are super cool. I'm pretty sure where this was going. Some werewolfy violence should commence in a few chapter's time. Before that we have some Greyback some Order. All lovely stuff. **

**Disclaimer: If Hitler and I got together, I'd own Harry Potter. Not now. **

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Remus?"

Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the leader of the Order of the Phoenix was sitting opposite me in my kitchen in the small flat I owned in the centre of Muggle London. Through half-moon spectacles he surveyed me calmly.

I had been lying on my bed with just a pair of joggers on. It wasn't usual for me to just have some joggers on when I lounge about at home, but I had a lot on my mind. Then the doorbell had rung. It was like a bad frenzy of attempting to get dressed and clean up in the time limit of half a minute. I had opened the door, saw Dumbledore, and dropped my tie. Then I had realised how stupid it must look putting on a tie and a work shirt with a pair of joggers on my legs. I hesitated.

"You know, Remus, you needn't dress up for me," was all he had said, smiling and stepping into the flat.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said finally, passing the tie across my hands. "I'm to meet with them today, I think. Well, I'm to be informed of the time and whereabouts of the... of the meeting." Dumbledore surveyed me grimly. I looked at him, frowning. He had the look of someone about to pass bad news to someone else.

"You may have to pass some sort of test," he said finally. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case." I nodded dumbly, fixing my eyes on the tie in my lap.

"I – sir, I won't have to spend full moons with them, will I? I said everything you told me to and he agreed so I shan't have to, shall I?" Dumbledore fixed me with a different look and leant against the kitchen table, eyeing me. The man probably had a thousand different looks, each one meaning a different thing. I had never known him to properly lose his temper in my direction, nor anywhere else but I was told that Voldemort only feared Dumbledore and I imagined that twinkle in his eye wasn't there when he looked at him.

"Fenrir Greyback likes to think his word means something," he said finally. "He's a confusing man. Most likely, you won't have to if he agreed but if he finds a loophole, and I promise you he'll try his hardest to find one, he'll have you with him at the full moon." I shivered slightly at his words. "After all," Dumbledore smirked slightly, grimly, "you are one of his most treasured items of his collections." I blinked wearily. Something about that sentence struck me.

"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore looked at me. He turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Did your father not tell you?" he said.

"I know Greyback bit me," I said offhandedly, a rush of rage filling my chest. "But you made it sound something more." It was Dumbledore's turn to look weary. He leaned back in his chair and put his hands in his laps, twisting them together and putting his long thumbs so that they touched. It was then that I wondered how old he really was.

"You were probably a turning point for Fenrir," he said finally. "It was when he bit you that he started biting people to raise them away from home. He got everyone else, raised them and I imagine you'll meet quite a few. He never got you." Dumbledore smiled.

Sometimes, I wanted to ask Dumbledore how he knew all this. How on earth was he aware of who Fenrir Greyback had bit in his time and how I was the 'turning point', so to speak? He was an interesting man, Dumbledore. Wise, old and interesting. Dumbledore stood up and rummaged in his pockets for something.

"Thank you, Professor," I murmured clumsily, and then added, "Would you like a cup of tea before you go?"

"No, thank you, Remus," the old Headmaster said, smiling at me. He handed me a slip of paper. I knew what was on there and I nodded grimly at him.

I went to the church the next day. I was wearing one of the few suits I had, threadbare trousers and work top with a tie and blazer. I hadn't been in a church since I was three and my mother took me to one to show me what it was like. I don't particularly remember it except the fact that in the bible study class they had nice biscuits and orange squash.

"Would you like to donate to St Mary's charity, sir?" I looked up to the priest at the door, blinking vaguely. He smiled warmly at me. I smiled back, though it was more with the humour that probably, in their opinion, I was a hell-sent monster sent to destroy earth's good people. I dropped in a few coins. "Thank you, sir. I've not seen you here before. Are you new to our church?"

"No, I'm just dropping by in town, visiting my sister," I said calmly. He nodded and I continued walking through the church, eyes fixed on the third confessional on the left.

"God bless you, sir," he said after me.

I haven't ever been in a confessional, so I wasn't really sure if I was doing it right. There seemed a few other people in the other ones, low voices coming from them. They had all probably done this a thousand times before. The thought flashed in front of my mind that I would make a fool of myself. That was stupid, though. How could I make a fool of myself when the person on the other side of the grate wasn't exactly a priest?

I sat down in the small chair. There was a grate and on the other side, I knew, was a werewolf. It seemed ironic for some reason that two werewolves were sitting in a church.

The watch the werewolf had given me previously ticked onto 10:52.

"Forgive me, Father," I murmured. There wasn't time to feel like a fool. I had to concentrate on this. For Dumbledore. So that in twenty years time, there wouldn't be adults like me, adults trying to live off what they managed to get rather than adults who could get a lot more than they wanted. That's why I was here. There wasn't time to feel like a fool. But this was the last step. No turning back after this. I sat there for a moment, eyes fixed on the grille. Then I finished, "I have sinned."

"Tell me your troubles, child." The voice was gruff yet quiet and I didn't recognise it. I sat there for a moment before replying.

"I've committed a terrible crime I daren't speak. I fear I shan't be forgiven." There was a sound of someone exhaling on the other side of the grille and I could see the silhouette of them. I lowered my head.

"Tell me, my child of the moon," he hissed. I said nothing, but counted. One. They didn't want me to do this. They thought it was too dangerous. Poor, weak Remus Lupin is actually going to act rather than sitting there and accepting everything everyone says. Two. I had to do it, though. Because if I didn't, who would? Three. I had to do it.

I coughed.

"Tomorrow," the voice said quickly and urgently. "Three o' clock. There's an old deserted factory on Chamber Street." Then there was silence. I stood up slowly, pushing my collar up self consciously, and walked toward the exit.

"Thank you, sir," said the priest. "Good luck with your troubles." I looked up, blinking, and then back at the confessional. I smiled at him.

"Thank you," I murmured.

I would need it.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Order Meeting. Fun. **

**Disclaimer: Hitler was Anne Franke's father. Srsly, he was. And I write Harry Potter. Srsly! **

As soon I was back in my flat I opened the piece of paper that was in my pocket and glanced at it again. The whereabouts of the next Order meeting looked at me and I checked my watch vaguely.

"Oh, _shit_."

I grabbed my wand and set fire to the paper quickly, watching it curl up and turn into black powder, dropping onto my kitchen floor. I'd have to clean the up later. Twisting sharply and, concentrating heavily on Dumbledore's office, Apparated.

Sometimes, when Dumbledore couldn't find a suitable place for our meetings he would lift the Anti-Apparation spell around his office until everyone got there. Then he would place the spell again until our meeting was over and we would hope we could find somewhere for the next meeting. Every time, Dumbledore would give us a piece of paper with where and when the meeting was so that no one could overhear and we were to burn it afterwards. It was simple, really. And I was late.

"Sorry I'm late," I murmured. Everyone was there except me. It was odd how many people the small office was actually capable of holding. Dumbledore smiled at me from behind his desk.

"That's fine, Remus," he said calmly. "We knew you'd be a little late." I glanced at my watch guiltily and shifted in next to Sirius who refused to look at me. Dumbledore stood up and looked at everyone. I glanced at Sirius once but he was looking fixedly at Dumbledore. He didn't want it to be like this. Neither did I. We were both too proud, though, to admit it. As Dumbledore started to talk, I glanced at Sirius again.

"I'm sorry," I murmured. His shoulders stiffened, but he said nothing. "I was a stupid bastard then. Oh, for God's sake, Sirius!"

"Bugger off," he muttered. I turned my attention to Dumbledore again, feeling like a caught schoolboy.

"Frank Longbottom has us some leads from the Ministry. Frank?" The tall, slim man with ruffled brown-blonde hair stood up, leaning foreword on his hands on Dumbledore's desk while he recited names and their ranks. I remembered him from school, a year ahead of us. He and James always were in competition with each other but now, it seemed, they had put that aside. When he had finished, Dumbledore stood up again and looked at me, smiling. Then he said, "And Remus, as we all seem to know, has being attempting to join Greyback as a spy." I lowered my head, looking anywhere but at Dumbledore. "Remus?" I stood up nervously.

"Erm. Well, I have a time and place now, sir," I said calmly. I began to loosen up. "And I met with Greyback. I'm not sure if he believed anything I said but I'll be there tomorrow at three and I should get some information. Hopefully, this should lessen the amount of children," my throat tightened slightly, "being bitten and we should be able to help a lot of people. I'll report later when I have more information." I sat down again and a murmur went through the crowd. Joining the werewolves? Was he insane? Soon the conversation and Severus stood up, reeling off what he had figured out and I suddenly felt a lot more inferior. Severus was doing a much more dangerous job, risking his life with Death Eaters. But if you thought about it, and I did, maybe werewolves were more dangerous than Death Eaters. Maybe they were the same. Both had lost their minds, the werewolves once a month and the Death Eaters half the time. Both of them lived half lives because Death Eaters could be all around us and we wouldn't even know it. You hardly knew who to trust these days.

After the meeting had ended, I decided to walk to the edge of the gates before Apparating. Sirius, Peter and James joined me. I glanced at them and then pocketed my hands.

"You're really doing this," Peter said finally after we walked through the halls in silence for a few minutes. I nodded grimly.

"It's all I can do." Sirius said nothing. Then, he looked around and laughed, stopping.

"Guess what," he said, grinning broadly. I looked up. There was a portrait to our left of a fat lady dressed in pink and I grinned. James was laughing.

"Oi, my darling!" Sirius said. "How are you doing without us?" The portrait awoke with a start and looked at us for a moment before groaning.

"I thought I rid of you four years ago," she said slyly.

"So did I," I said wearily. "But it looks like I'm still stuck with them." James pushed me lightly and the Fat Lady smiled. The amount of times she caught us coming in late, the amount of telling offs we've had from her. I returned her smile.

"We'd better go, though," James said, checking his watch. "Or I had. Lily said she'd zap the dinner before I got home and expected me a while ago. Dammit."

"James Potter!" she scolded lightly. "Still a rude tongue, I see." James grinned.

"You love me really, my Lady," he said in a thick Italian accent.

"I don't think Miss Evans would like that very much," she said knowingly, making the ding dong sound of wedding bells in the back of her throat. James stuck out his tongue childishly and we left.

"Really, Remus," Peter said finally. "You could get in awful trouble doing this." I shrugged. I just wanted to drop the subject, but that didn't seem to be happening any time soon.

"He didn't want to feel useless," Sirius said. I looked at him. I supposed, after living in the house he had lived in when he grew up, he knew what it felt like to feel useless. I nodded and Sirius shrugged, pocketing his hands. I also knew, after living in the school where he had lived in when he grew up, this was Sirius' way of apologising. "This place seems like we never left it. Reckon the room of requirement is still here?" He looked around and Peter laughed. It really seemed like we had never left it.

Sirius and I ended up going to a pub for drinks. Quite a lot of drinks, actually. James had to go home before Lily skinned him and Peter said he had to do something for his job so Sirius said he'd walk me home when we passed a pub; which, after a very long, very sober discussion, we decided to go into. Then, after a very long, very drunk time, we left. Sirius walked me home, singing the Owl and the Pussy-Cat. It was almost nine when we arrived at the flat and I found Maria, the landlord there, looking distressed and swore inwardly. That woman had a sharp tongue and knew how to use it.

"Remus," she said, eyeing Sirius for a moment, who had chose that moment to start singing Three Blind Mice under his breathe. "Remus, I'm sorry, but I really need that rent." I suddenly felt a lot more sober.

"Oh," I said stupidly.

She hesitated before saying, "Now. Or I can't let you back in your room, I'm afraid. Sorry." I stood there awkwardly. Sirius swayed. I wasn't sure whether it was because he was feeling ill or there was something going on in his mind.

"Now?" Maria raised an eyebrow.

"Are you drunk, Remus?" she said slowly.

"No. Of course I'm not," I murmured. "I'm very, very sober. Very sober. So very sober. I'm sober-er than you ever will be. I'm ab- anstem- sober." Maria raised an eyebrow than looked at Sirius.

"Look, Mr Lupin. This is your friend, right?" Sirius nodded dumbly.

"Best friend. Best friend he could ask for, stupid bloke. I'm an anifiddlegus. I'm best. Best friend." I ignored this, feeling a lot more sober.

"Then you can stay with him until you get your rent sorted, okay?" I hesitated, then nodded. "Now you go back, and you have a nice cup of tea. Then you go to sleep. I don't fancy having your headache tomorrow. Then you can come back 'round here around three, okay? And you sort out your rent. We'll talk. How does that sound?" I nodded.

So I went back to Sirius' flat and we had some more beer before falling asleep on top of each other on his couch.

"How drunk did we get?" Sirius moaned the next morning. He had his hands on his head and was looking in his cupboard with his elbows for headache pills.

"I feel like dying," I moaned. Sirius chucked me a few pills and I swallowed them dry leaning back on the couch. "And I have that bloody werewolf meeting today."

"That woman, mate," Sirius said vaguely. "Woman last night. Big breasts."

"Maria?" I say stupidly. "Oh, bugger. She can wait."

I grab my jacket, stand up and walk out the door, leaving Sirius lying on his bed and moaning about how he never wants to get drunk again.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Thank you to my reviewers. It really makes my day. This chapter's dedicated to you. You're my favourite people.**

**Disclaimer: Hitler's my best friend. While he plans on destroying the world, I plan on writing the Harry Potter series. Neither of us will succeed. **

The building in front of me was one of the tastiest, most disgusting places I have ever seen. When I slipped round the side of it and went through the small door the décor only got worse. The place had certainly been used, about fifty years ago, as a packaging company for something large. Lots of huge tables were laid out on the floor; pipes lining the walls like people couldn't afford to cover them. I let my eyes flick around, taking it all in. There was a section at the far end of tables that had been pushed aside and a clear spot in the middle. There was a chair in the middle. I fixed my eyes there and stopped walking. Suddenly the whole space seemed a lot more open and a lot more intimidating to me. Suddenly I felt a lot more vulnerable. I looked around. Still nothing. But I could sense it, now. If I laid back on everything human and trusted the wolf I could sense it. I turned my head sharply left.

There was a flash of black and I found myself on the floor. I wanted to let my hand go instantly to my wand, but didn't. Someone made a noise in the back of their throat, someone _growled_ and I gritted my teeth. I wasn't feeling well, not from last night, and my brain felt like it had skidded across the floor when I fell. It was only then that I felt arms on my shoulders and knees around my waist and I looked up, meeting a pair of stormy dark grey eyes.

"New kid," the werewolf muttered. His eyes looked all over me and then he met my gaze. He grinned, displaying a set of teeth I'm sure his mother would have died of shock at seeing. Suddenly, realising I had arms and that he was waiting for a reaction, I pushed the younger man off of me, lightly when he didn't resist, and stood up. He stood up and looked at me some more, eyes narrowed. I said nothing. "Smells of humans," he grunted. "Oi, Pads." I looked up sharply at the man behind him, unable to help myself. Pads? I almost laughed aloud, but didn't. I lowered my eyes again. Pads grinned, prodding me in the chest. I held my ground, still saying nothing.

"New kid," he repeated lowly. He had a voice that sounded like it was low all the time. Low and gruff, like a bark. I shivered. "Reeks of humans, Ma." My eyes immediately went to the other werewolf and he looked at me as if to threaten me on the nickname he had been blessed with. In books I had read the inmates of a prison had gave new people nicknames on how they acted. I looked away from him, meeting Pads' eyes. This man was much older than me and he had seen much more, but there was still the thing that was in Greyback's eyes there that said they embraced their wolf. "Too good to say anything, poncy new boy?" Pads said mockingly. "Do your Mummy and Daddy know you're here?" Then he lowered his voice. "Dumbledore?" I froze and raised my eyes to him. He smirked.

"What d'you want?" I said finally, tone cold. Pads took a step back.

"Respect," he said quietly. "One of the first things you'll learn here. We aren't here to be the big bad wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. No, we're here because we can't exist out there. They hate us. We need our food, and I can't blame them but it doesn't matter what they think. We're a pack and you'll learn to respect me. Understood?" I looked away again. Rough hands grabbed my collar and slammed me back against the wall and my head snapped back. I groaned.

"Yes," I said quietly. "Yes." Pads smirked.

"Good." He let go of me and I stayed there, not moving. Ma cocked his head. There were people who radiated power and I knew immediately I wasn't one of them. I also knew that first impressions mattered a hell of a lot with these guys.

"Having fun?" There was a man, around my age, leaning against a pillar with his eyebrows raised. His eyes flicked momentarily onto me and then back to Pads. "Honestly, Pads, you really ought to give the new kids a break. He looked at me again and I saw a few crude pockmarks on his face. He saw me looking and grinned, walking foreword.

"'M Freckles," he said calmly. I instantly captured his personality. He was the type who played nice man when he wanted but when he was in a mood he could work up a hell of a fight. I nodded, unsure whether I should introduce myself or not. I decided not.

"My my." I recognised the voice immediately. Greyback was standing on a table. I hadn't heard him come in. I fixed my eyes at him and suddenly the air got a lot darker. I didn't think that could happen. "You lot are a lot quicker than I thought you were. Picking up on our newbie so quickly. Why don't you introduce yourself, kid?" He threw the comment casually at me and I froze, looking at him.

"Remus Lupin," I said, voice rough. No one said anything. A few minutes ago they would have, but now Greyback was here no one said a word.

Greyback smirked. "Correct," he said quietly.

And it was then that he threw himself on top of me. I knew he'd done this a thousand times before and, with a pang, I also had a rough idea of the percentage of people who didn't do well enough in it. I wasn't sure whether I would want to know what happened to them.

I wasn't well-built and neither was I particularly muscled, but people often mistook me as weak. I wasn't weak. Third year I accidentally broke Sirius' wrist in an accident. I was far from weak.

Greyback didn't punch and kick. He used his body. His elbow shoved hard into my chest and I fell over. When he came for me next, though, I was ready.

He went to dive on top of me and I rolled to the left, standing up swiftly. Greyback scrambled up and I shoved him over. He glared at me and before I knew it I was up on the wall again, his hand rough on my collar. My breathing was tight and I looked straight at him, his face millimetres from mine, his breathe strangling me.

"Better than I thought, Lupin," he murmured. He turned to the other three and I saw there wasn't only them. I wasn't sure where the rest of them had come from, but, then again, I wasn't sure where Pads, Freckles and Ma had come from. There were about four more werewolves, melted behind the rest and suddenly I realised that Greyback wouldn't have that big a crowd, not yet. The war had just started and he hadn't been that big until recently. And, despite what people thought, there weren't that many werewolves. I assumed Greyback didn't know how to Apparate and he wasn't really one for public transport, so the werewolves here were probably local, desperate ones.

"What d'you think, fellows?" he said loudly, addressing the crowd. "We need a name for this pup." And he threw me foreword, brushing his too-tight robes off and slinging himself on one of the packaging tables. There were people all around me. I felt as if I were to pass out.

"Ponce!" someone shouted. I groaned, attempting to stand up, but I was pushed back down. "Don't be a ponce yourself, Top," someone else retorted. Freckles was in front of me for a moment, then he was gone again.

"Look at how he's looking at us," someone said, laughter following.

"Carp," someone shouted. "Fish."

"Carp."

Pads' voice was loud and clear and everyone was quiet at it, giving him almost as much respect as Greyback had got. Greyback eyed him wearily.

"Carp," he repeated. I looked up at him. He grinned, eyes fixed on me and I realised he must be like the Dumbledore of the werewolves. "You're in for hell, kid."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN Erm a bit late? Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry so very sorry. I am actually right chuffed I'm getting my arse back to doing this fic, although I can't promise you nothing. I changed a bit in the end of the last chapter; I didn't like the fact there were billions of werewolves. Apologies if I slip into present tense at all. I haven't done past for a million years. **   
**Anyway, this chapter's crap. **   
**Disclaimer: What's up with the crap Hitler jokes from the previous chapters, man? Don't own anything, don't profit from anything. **   
My mind was reeling. Carp? What on earth was _carp_ supposed to mean? I felt useless and open on the floor. It was almost animal instincts kicking in. The reason dogs roll onto their backs and expose their stomachs is, apparently, to show they trust you not to rip their throat out. I supposed, in the long shot, this meant that I didn't trust these werewolves not to rip my throat out. To say the least, I didn't trust these werewolves to carry an empty cardboard box up the stairs, let alone not rip my throat out.   
"He looks like a bloody carp," one muttered. "You get them fish, you get them right out the water, you slice their stomachs while they're still alive and they look just like that, that look he's got."   
Oh, Merlin, I thought vaguely. I was as good as dead. I was like the fish that had its stomach pulled out while it was still alive.   
_Relax._   
I looked at all the faces above me and relaxed. I didn't trust them completely but, I realized, it was the only way to get them to think that they were able to rely on me. I let myself loosen up and there were a few snickers, but it wasn't like it was before. They weren't so much mocking as respectful, because they could tell that I understood their game now.   
"Took him long enough," a voice said and there was a small scuffle somewhere in the back.   
"Took less time than _you _did, Top," another voice retorted, and someone offered me a hand which I hesitated before gripping onto and pulling myself up. I looked up slowly, eyes traveling over his face before I met Pads' eyes. He eyed me and then he glanced towards Greyback.   
"We don't need you to trust us," Pads said shortly, turning away to melt back into the crowd. He didn't so much as glance behind when he continued to talk. "We just need you to know that, so long as you do something for us, we'll do something for you."   
I said nothing, just looked firmly at Pads. Then, calmly, I lowered my eyes to look over his shoulder rather than straight at him. He smirked slightly and then turned, walking away. I let my eyes flicker around the room, taking in the faces of the werewolves around me. Greyback was sitting on one of the tables still, a lazy superior air about him. Pads had a less superior air, but it was clear he had power. Ma and Freckles seemed more like _followers_, more on my level, except Freckles was, well, different. He didn't seem as firm with where he was as the others, and yet he was incredibly sure of himself, you could see that.   
There was also a tall, thin man who looked more like a coat on a hanger than anything, who I recognized as Top. There was a man of average stature with dark black hair and a criss cross of scars across his face who I recognized as the one who had given me directions to the church. Another man, who was incredibly pale and had light blond hair and muscles rippling from underneath his tight t-shirt and then one more who had long hair which was badly dyed green, grey teeth and a crooked nose. Then I realized that all of the men, except for Pads and Ma, were around my age. Something Dumbledore had said earlier struck me and I swallowed because these men had been boys when they were bitten, like me. But, unlike me, they had been taken away.   
There should be more. It hit me suddenly and I looked around, as if checking. If Greyback had been recruiting since he bit me, then there should definitely be more. There should be older men who had joined Greyback willingly and--.   
And there should be _children_.   
"Is this all?" I said quickly. They all immediately knew what I was talking about. Greyback looked at me carefully.   
"Who do you think you are, Lupin?" he said slowly, frowning at me. "We ask the questions, yeah? But, sure, there are more. There's a few camps positioned around that we have." He picked at his fingernails.   
"Why'd you join up, eh, Carp?" the man with green hair asked me. He walked around me, too close for comfort, with his hands in his pockets. "Same reason as the rest of us, eh, just took you a little longer to catch on?" He grinned a mouth full of grey teeth.   
"I thought I knew people," I said calmly, meeting his eyes. There was some sort of hierarchy here and now I knew that this man was on the same level as me, because he didn't stare hard at me, but nor did he break his eyes away. "But it all narrows down to the same thing, I suppose, yes."   
"Posh kid," he said, voice slick. He leant into my ear, breathing close to it. "Couldn't get no one to hire you, could you? Couldn't get no respect, no matter how much you earned?" He stood up straight, smirking when he caught the look on my face. "Me? I got taken when I was younger, yeah, I was _lucky_. All them, they don't know nothing, do they, them humans?" He was trying to wind me up, trying to see who I was really for.   
"Well, I suppose since you were so lucky you had it easy," I said, voice just as calm. "You never had to live with Muggles or go to those routine checks, did you?" I cocked my head at him, a smile creeping across my face now. "I guess that we all aren't that similar, now I think about it."   
The man steps back, one eyebrow raised, and then he laughs. His breath reeks of alcohol, but I don't turn my head.   
"Leave the kid alone, Nails," Ma said, voice hard and the man, Nails, looked around at Ma, eyebrow still raised, but he backed off anyway.   
"What, so you changed your mind over night, did you?" Freckles said. He looked at me firmly, pure curiosity overriding suspicion in his face.   
"It isn't like that," I muttered. "I couldn't stand it anymore. You know how it is. I thought I had friends, I thought some humans understood me, but it turns out that's not how it works." I looked up, eyes hard of any emotion.   
"Don't know how it is myself," Freckles said abruptly. His fingers move quickly against each other, up and down. "I was eleven." He sniffed in an offhand way, as if he had hay fever.   
"Six," I said, not sure what else to say. Freckles met my eyes.   
"I'm off." My head snapped up from where it was level with Freckles' eyes and then I firmly looked away from Greyback, who had spoken. "Tell Carp about some of the new kids camps." He looked at me thoughtfully. "A and C, yeah?" Pads left with him. I raised an eyebrow.   
"Each camp's named alphabetically," the pale man with the thin shirt and blond hair said. "A and C are, well, I'm not sure why he's put you with A, but, you know." He shrugged. "C's for mainly adults, softies who don't go around looking for fights. A lot of them back out." He grinned, showing incredibly sharp teeth. "Never make it three feet out the camp, them. It's sort of a tester. We'll chuck in a few hardened ones from S or M who'll show you how to act every now and again. A's for the fresh ones." I kept my face a mask, but I knew exactly what he meant when he said 'fresh ones'. My heart thumped loudly against my chest and I thought it was going to give me away. His grin broadened. "A lot of them whine for their parents but you get used to it. I suppose you'll be a mentor. Get to look over them, make sure none of them run away and take care of them that do." He ran a hand underneath his nose. "Toughen them up. I suppose Greyback reckons since you had to tough it a bit in the big bad world of wizards you can teach them a thing or two." He smirked again, and I knew immediately he didn't agree with Greyback on that. "You drop in there a few times a week until there's some sort of rota set." He told me where they were and I nodded, now unsure what to do.   
"Beat it," the Top said. He glared at me. I stepped coolly past him on the way to the door. There was a rush on my left and I sidestepped quickly to miss a body flying at me side on, turning around sharply. The man who told me about the church grinned at me.   
"Quick reactions," he credited, and then stood back to let me past. "Name's Core," he called after me, but I ignored him, trying to keep my pace steady as I walked through the door and then around the corner on the street.   
I didn't stop or look back until I got to my flat. If they were following me, which I was pretty certain they wouldn't bother with, I wouldn't want to lead them straight to Dumbledore or James and Lily, Sirius or Peter. They wouldn't be following me, of course; if they were to follow every new 'member' than they would have a lot on their hands. And that was what the ridiculously alphabetized camps were for, anyway.   
I leant against the wall of my block of flats, my eyes closed.   
"Remus?"   
My head snapped up and I found Maria staring at me, frowning disapprovingly.   
"You said you would meet me at three, Remus," she said sadly. I blinked at her, no idea what she was talking about.   
"I did?" I said miserably, pushing the door to the flats open. Maria put a hand in front of mine. I looked up at her, eyebrows furrowed, and then I remembered. "Oh, shit." I ran a hand through my hair and then rested it on my forehead. "Listen, Maria, I'll get you that money, I just need to look at my flat for a minute." I won't get her the money; I haven't got it, I know that. I know, with a surge of self disgust, that I'll end up borrowing from Sirius or James an amount of money I'll never be able to pay back. "I have a paper in there," I lied. "I'll get my pay check once I hand it in, I just need to get my paper." Maria faltered. "Please."   
"Oh, fine," she muttered, pushing the door open and taking a key out of her pocket. She handed it to me and I thanked her again before walking into my flat. I looked around it quickly and then grabbed the first incomplete paper I could find to make my excuse valid. I then ran into my room, rifled through the closet of threadbare and worn clothes and pulled on a pair of smart trousers and a button-up shirt with a tie. Then, when I got back into the kitchen, I spotted the letter on the table. I dropped my tie, half made, and read it with my collar still up.   
_R,_ it read, _L's going ape. She's convinced you're going to die, so, well, don't. Unless you get this after. In that case, well done, mate. D wants to see you near the perch, emergency lark about as soon as you get back. How about some drinks after, yeah? See you then. -J_   
I reread it, then quickly set fire to it with the tip of my wand. 'Near the perch' was some sort of code for Dumbledore's office and I could guess that James meant it was an Order meeting when he said an 'emergency lark about'.   
I turned without picking up the fake paper I was going to bring out with me, walked straight past Maria who had her hand held out for my key again, and ran down the street until I found the nearest deserted alleyway. Checking only once to see if anybody was about, I turned on my heel, the alleyway disappearing before my eyes and Dumbledore's office blinking into view. 


End file.
